I had previously read Karen Marie Moning's prior Fever series, so I was excited to read her latest. Unfortunately, the writing felt very bloated and I didn't care about any of the characters.

Poor Zo Gray—after the tragic death of her mother and the strain of juggling three jobs to support them both, she suddenly finds herself the recipient of a bizarre inheritance in a quaint, magical town called Divinity. Sounds like a stroke of luck, right? But with the inheritance comes a long list of challenging contingencies. The real question is, can Zo survive them all?

Where do I begin with this review? The story—LOVED IT! The blend of gothic mystery, paranormal intrigue, and witches (LOVE!) kept me absolutely hooked. The plot had my heart racing, and I especially appreciated that the romance aspect was kept to a minimum—refreshingly light on romance and the occasional hint of passion, without overwhelming the main storyline.

The author’s use of poetic, almost flowery language added to the atmosphere of the story, but I did find myself relying on my Kindle dictionary more than usual. The complex vocabulary, while beautiful, could be a bit challenging at times, though it fit the gothic tone well. Honestly, I can’t imagine reading this without the handy lookup function that comes with ebooks!

One thing that threw me off initially was the use of past tense, which is something the author did in the Fever series as well (at least in the first book). It took some getting used to, but once I adjusted, I was completely immersed in the world-building and the unique writing style.

Overall, this is a captivating start to a trilogy that I’m so excited to continue. It cannot end on that cliffhanger! Fans of gothic mystery and paranormal fiction will want to dive into this one, and I’m eager to see where the next book takes Zo and her wild journey.

“Everything is a choice. You choose. No one chooses for you. We are not what we are born. We are not our power. We’re what we choose to do with it.”

Oh, what a fantastic start to this series.

Zo has had a life of hardships. She’s now faced with a life altering decision. As truths begin to unravel, her life is spun into a tailspin.

I love the writing. The delicious little morsels dropped here and there. All the unknown. I love the multiple points of views and how we don’t know who some of them are. Great world building with wonderful descriptors. I felt like I could see and feel everything happening to Zo.
Who is who and who can be trusted? So much mystery and intrigue and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

“Each of us is flawed. None of us are spared. To obsess over our flaws defies, and undermines, the very purpose of our existence. If you see only bad when you look within, you render yourself incapable of bringing good into the world.”

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm such a huge fan of Karen's books. So when I seen this was being released this year I might have screamed like a banshee lol.

I really enjoyed the plot of this story. You have a lost heiress, witches, vampires, and small mysterious Louisiana town. What more could you ask for? The setting of this book is perfect for spooky season. Also, warring covens and a hierarchy was pretty neat. I flew through this and finished in a day. I just had to know what happened! The ending had me a little surprised but kinda seen it coming.

There are only two things that I struggled with one being the FMC. I didn't understand why it was so hard for her to follow the rules like it was only 7 days 🤣 I also understand that she is slightly emotionally stunted from her childhood and finally had a taste of freedom but Zo come on. The second being that I felt there were big things about to happen but then doesn't really go anywhere? I'm hoping that within the continuation of the series we get those big moments.

Really excited to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for the gifted ebook.

I absolutely could not put this book down! Perfect witchy book for spooky season. A mysterious inheritance, a creepy got his mansion, witches, vampires & a little fade to black steam. Well written characters, believable world building and a completely unpredictable plot that leaves you craving more! I can’t wait to get my hand on the next installment after that ending!

I've never read a Karen Marie Moning book and am excited that this was my first one. This is such a wonderful fall/autumnal story that runs almost entirely on vibes--whether cozy or spooky throughout and I loved that despite realizing towards the end that, wait a minute, not much has happened plotwise. I did feel like this was only part of a much larger story but that the author got distracted by the vibes. Which sounds bad but honestly was a great time. I would also say that this doesn't feel like a traditional romantic story, with much of the sexual stuff occurring off page. If that's something you're looking for, you may not find exactly what you're looking for here.

I'd recommend reading this in the fall with a huge cup of tea or cocoa and just letting the story setting and story wash over you.

The beginning of what will likely be a fascinating new series by Karen Marie Moning. An intriguing plot that gets you sucked into the story mixed with well developed and interesting characters. Can't wait to continue the series and find out the conclusion of this story.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the gifted ebook.

FROM PAUPER TO QUEEN!
Zo thinks she’s lost everything after the fire. Then she gets a call from someone saying she’s to inherit an entire estate?! She travels New Jersey to Louisiana to find out if it’s too good to be true

I love Karen’s books and this one was good!
I am very into this story and can’t wait to see where it goes. The magic and myths is very interesting to me.
My main gripe is the main FMC. I can understand why she is the way she is, but does she have to be so stubborn. I feel like the people who have more experience with power is who we should listen to.😅 ESPECIALLY WHEN ONE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND!
I don’t know maybe I’m being too hard but I see a lot more fault in the mom than anything.
Overall the story hooked me very quick, and I’ve been left wondering….. so I need book 2 asap🙌🏻

I loved the Fever series, so I was looking forward to this first book in a new series by KMM. This was a pretty good start to the series. Zo has been through a lot throughout her life and it makes her a fairly hard person. That did make it difficult for me to connect with her. I'm hoping we get to watch her soften a little in future books, I enjoyed the mystery in the book, but don't like them as much when the only reason so many of the mysteries are there is because Zo says to other people not to tell her the answers to her questions because she can't handle the answers right now, especially when she turns around and gets mad at people for not telling her things in the next scene. I can't wait to see who the bad guys are in this series, I am not sure at this point. That is when you know it is good writing. Overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to see where the series goes in the future.
I think this series is going to be one I find myself counting down to the next one as soon as I finish the one I am reading. It kept getting better as the book went along. If you like mysteries that involve witched, vampires, and maybe shapeshifters(I'm not sure about them yet) you should definitely give this one a try.

Zo Grey an impoverished and grieving young woman is contacted about a possible inheritance involving a mysterious mansion on a hill in Louisiana. The House at Watch Hill is the beginning of a witchy series full of intrigue, unknown power and dark forces. Zo encounters a Stygian Owl. a Scottish groundskeeper and a lawyer loyal to the previous owner of the house on the hill, just to name a few of the interesting characters. This is an amazing must read! So riveting I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

This was my first read by Moning, and there’s no way it will be my last. I was hooked by this book and even when I wasn’t actively reading it, I was still thinking about it. Given that this is the first book in a series, it definitely has a set up period. It took me a while to get a feel for where the story was going. However, even during that time, I was still intrigued. There was an overwhelming feeling of something being off, and I couldn’t wait to learn more. The vibes were perfect for a fall read. Once I got a feel for where the plot was headed, I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what happened next. I loved how Moning set the scene particularly her descriptions of Watch Hill. I could easily imagine myself walking the halls with Zo as she explored. There are so many elements I’m excited to explore in future books. We get a few chapters from Alisdair’s POV, and I can’t wait to learn more about this particular character. There were a few elements that I found predictable, but it was still enjoyable to see how it unfolded. This does end on a cliffhanger that will leave you desperate for the next book. Seriously, Moning, I need answers yesterday on some of my favorite characters. I can’t recommend this enough. If you’re a mood reader, it will be especially enjoyable during the fall/spooky season.

This one got to be way too much for me way too quickly without it really doing much for the plot, or really much for the character at all, so I DNF'd it around 20%

Let me start by saying that I’m a fan of Karen Marie Moning and was super excited to see that she had a new series coming out. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital ARC-I was delighted to get my hands on it.

The House at Watch Hill is a fantasy about a woman named Zo Grey, who loses her only know family when her mother dies, then finds out that she has inherited a large house (and fortune) if she moves in for three years. There are lots of mysteries regarding the house and the townsfolk, and there is ample foreshadowing to let you know that bad and scary things are coming. From the very beginning, she doesn’t know who to trust and has little to rely on past her own instincts.

I really love Moning’s Fever series, but this book made me wonder if I might enjoy this series even more. She has such a compelling style of writing that draws you right in-this book takes a scant few pages before I was excitedly all in trying to figure out what was going on. Zo is a really well written character and I, as a reader, was really rooting for her. As this is the first book in the series, there are way more questions than answers about what is going on, but I love the world building that Karen Marie Moning has employed with this series. Fantasy tropes are tropes because they are so successful, but she breathes new life into them, and even puts new spin on them. For readers who love fantasy, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Karen Marie Moning for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The House at Watch Hill coming out October 1, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. It was a little rough to get into it at first. There were a couple odd things. I gave it a shot and I liked it more when she inherited the house. I’m obsessed with gothic mansions and the Scottish groundskeeper was a nice touch. But I felt like something was missing for me. It seemed like things just happened to Zo. I didn’t like her character as much as I wanted to. She was a little too instalove. And I hoped it would be more like The Haunting of Hill House or something. I would check out other books by this author.

3.5 stars (but rounding up in the hopes that when book two comes out, I’ll see this as more of a 4)

I’m still not totally sure about what I just read, what is actually happening, who we can trust, where it’s going to go from here- and yet, the vibes were spectacular??

This gothic, fantasy, witchy story follows Zo as she goes to Divinity, Louisiana to claim a birthright and inheritance she had no idea existed. Her mother, sadly now gone, kept Zo in the dark for her entire life and now her eyes are having to open real fast!

To me, this book felt like one long bit of exposition for the broader series, with small hints and actions that I am absolutely certain we are going to look back on and do the Leo pointing gif yelling “AHA” as everything clicks into place. Zo is a completely compelling main character, she’s inquisitive, emotional, and fierce as hell. The more she learns about her new world, the more we as an audience are let into the story to begin speculating. And let me tell you, I am SPECULATING!! This was a great start to a series and I am very hopeful that the wait won’t be too long to get to our next book!!

Thank you so much to Karen Marie Moning, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the gifted arc!
This is my first book by this author, and I found that I really love her writing style! This was a great gothic spooky season book, and I’ll absolutely be reading the next one! This book definitely set up the characters and setting of the story more than anything else—the first 1/3 was pretty slow, but it picked up a lot! I would also say this is more of like a paranormal mystery than a romantic fantasy. I was definitely expecting more romance, but it’s extremely minimal.
Zo annoyed me for a lot of the book, but she was growing on me by the time I got to the end of the book. I wish she had more interactions with Devlin before saying she was falling for him—but based on the ending I honestly have no idea if he’s going to be the MMC. I guess we’ll see in future books!
I think my favorite part of this book is the mystery—although some questions were answered, I still have so many and am looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out!

KMM holds a very, very special place in my heart. The Fever series is the world that got me into fantasy, fae, and morally gray, extremely big and sexy MMCs. So, when I saw she was starting a new series about Witches it immediately became one of my most anticipated reads of 2024!

This is very much a world building book, and I think that is important to know before going in. I can tell she is setting the stage for something BIG to come in this series. We find ourselves thrown into this world and learning right alongside our main character, Zo. So, it feels like we are learning a lot with not necessarily a lot going on if that makes sense. It absolutely worked for me, but I can see where it may not work for everyone. Just prepare to sit down and take everything in, because every little detail in a KMM book is important.

This book builds and builds, leaving you with an ending that will absolutely leave you wanting more. I am anxiously awaiting the next book already and this one hasn’t even been officially published yet. I truly believe this is a steppingstone to something great.

Pick this one up if you are looking for:

-The PERFECT witchy read for fall
-Vampires, Gothic Vibes, and the Occult
-A Spooky House setting
-Lots of secrets and reveals
-An ending that will leave you wanting more immediately

The hardest part of reading book one of a series that has just been published, is knowing you’ll be waiting what feels like an eternity for the remaining books. Karen Marie Moning, the master of this cruelty, has definitely roped me in. This book was unreal. Riveting, engaging, spellbinding in so many ways.

Zo (as in No) lives in a small town in Indiana with her ailing mother. Her mom has been sick for so long, Zo can scarcely remember a time when she wasn’t. Working three jobs to try to support them and pay for her mother’s care, Zo is tired. She often wonders if there will ever be a way out of this hole they seem to live in.

And then the unthinkable happens. Her mother is gone. And a world full of magic is about to engulf her in ways she never could have imagined. Good, bad, and all manner of insanity are about to take over Zo’s life.

Without giving anything else away, I can only say that I will be sitting, impatiently, awaiting the next book. Incredible. Just as always. A story for the ages full of love, lust, rapture, sadness, and every emotion of the rainbow. Incredible.

4.5 ⭐️ (Rounded up to 5)

I am a huge fan of KMM! I loved the Fever series immensely! And, yes, I loved even Dani’s books! So, I was extremely excited when I saw the announcement of a new series.

The House At Watch Hill is the first book in a new trilogy by Karen Marie Moning!! Did A LOT happen in this first book, YES! Was there A LOT that DID NOT happen in this first book, also YES! Am I disappointed; absolutely not! KMM just has a way of storytelling that sucks you in and never lets go. Her writing is prolific and she just has this uncanny ability to reel readers in with her enticing words.

This book is all about building this alluring paranormal world. About weaving the bigger picture layer by layer. It’s gothic and witchy and full of rich Cameron family history. It’s also a bit creepy and little terrifying at times too. It’s full of mysteries and secrets that will surely keep you your toes trying to guess where this story is going. It is utterly amazing! The characters are full of depth and mystery. You’re sort of left scratching your head because nothing appears as it seems. But, all good things come to those that wait! And wait is what KMM will make us do as she tends to unravel her stories slowly and methodically.

This book is gripping and intriguing and it thoroughly sucked me in and never let me go. The plot moves a bit slow, but that is just the way KMM writes. There is also very little romance to speak of in this first book. However, my guess is that will change based on events that occurred within this book. The book spends a good amount of time with Zo, the FMC, transitioning from destitute, working tirelessly to make ends meet to immense wealth and power. It revolves around her journey to learn who she really is and why she was kept in the dark for so long. It’s about learning what exactly her mother was running from and why. So many answers left unspoken!! All answers I hope we will get in due time.

I honestly really enjoyed this book. Im fully invested and excited to see how KMM destroys us in book 2. Especially after that little cliffy ending I experienced.

This is most definitely a great spooky season read for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was such a delightful book to read. The changes Zo deals with build on top of the other. The horror of the fire to becoming the top of her world is whiplash worthy. Devlin and Kellen are pure temptation. This is a finely crafted tale that keeps you riveted.